Senior wins national Cum Laude essay contest

By Kelly Ohriner

Jake Sonnenberg &rsquo;11 won first place for his region in the Cum Laude essay writing contest. Any Cum Laude member school may submit one entry. Sonnenberg&rsquo;s essay was submitted by his 11th grade history teacher, Drew Maddock. His essay was about the birth of imperialism under presidents James K. Polk and John Tyler. Sonnenberg was presented by President Tom Hudnut with a check for $500. Hudnut only recalls one other Harvard-Westlake student winning the contest in the past.